Liquid gas lighter



July 2, 1968 LIQUID Filed March 25, 1966 KARL-ERICH WIEDEN E AL GASLIGHTER v 2 sheets-s eet 1 INVENTORS -M W!- KZZZM v M I July 2, 1968 Filed March 25, 1966 KARL-ERICH WIEDEN ET AL.

LIQUID GAS LIGHTER 2 Sheets-Sheet "fill/1ITI/I/I/IIl/l/II/j/I/IIII II I/IlIII/Il AI III! UUU III/II r1111 IIIIIIIII/III III/III III IIIII'I/III [III] I I I I 1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 11A INVENTOR S M- 21% BY 5 :5

United States Patent 3,390,945 LIQUID GAS LIGHTER Karl-Erich Wieden, Solingen-Merscheid, and Klaus Buss, Solingen-Ohligs, Germany, assignors to Wieden & C0. G.m.b.H., Solingen-Ohligs, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Mar. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 537,534 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 25, 1965,

,835 3 Claims. (Cl. 431-344) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A liquid gas lighter which comprises a burner housing including a burner having a throttle member below a gas outlet channel terminating in a valve seat face. The throttle member consists of a fiber disc, and a pin has an end face. The fiber disc is compressible against the end face of the pin for control of the gas feed. A fiber material body leads the liquid gas to the throttle member and is carried by the pin. The fiber material body comprises individual ring discs and is lined up on the pin. The burner housing has window-like recesses. The ring discs are disposed behind the window-like recesses, in engagement with the throttle member, and arranged above a ring shoulder of the pin.

The present invention relates to a liquid gas lighter having a burner which receives a throttle member, for instance, in the form of a fiber disk, below the gas outlet channel terminating into the valve seat face, which fiber disk can be compressed for the control of the gas escape.

In such lighters difficulties are encountered in feeding gas in sufficient quantity and first of all also equally to the burner nozzle during the entire time period of the flame formation. The drawback exerts itself to an appreciable extent to the ignition safety and the regularity of the flame of such lighters. They fall down, if the flame burns for a longer time period.

It is already known, to provide an annular throttle disk of porous material below the closing valve, which throttle disk is carried by a pressure stamp and engaged by the latter.

The inner space of the burner tube surrounding the pressure stamp, which burner tube projects through the fuel container, is in connection with the latter by means of two radial bores. The set-off end of the pressure stamp is guided in the valve bore. The corresponding design is complicated from a manufacturing point of view. Also, it is not possible, in spite of the use of the annular throttle disk, to obtain an equalized gas flow for the formation of a constant flame height during the conventional using time.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a liquid gas lighter, wherein, in order to avoid the mentioned drawbacks, a liquid gas storage body is provided, which consists preferably also of fiber material and is disposed below the throttle member, which storage body is in face engagement with the throttle member and through which a stabilization core extends, the end face of which assumes the compression pressure for the throttle member.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid gas lighter, wherein the storage body including the stabilization core is insertable through an end face opening into the burner housing, thereby providing a design advantageous as to construction and assembly.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a liquid gas lighter, wherein a design is arranged which is reliable as to its effect and according to which the storage body is disposed behind window-like recesses in the burner housing wall.

3,390,945 Patented July 2, 1968 It is then of advantage, if the end face of the stabiliza tion core has a concave recess disposed concentrically to the gas outlet channel, the concave recess having an inclined marginal edge, which has a larger diameter than that of the gas outlet channel.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a liquid gas lighter, wherein the storage body is formed of individual overlying annular disks of fiber material.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a liquid gas lighter wherein a spring is provided which engages the stabilization core and operates contrary to the direction of pressing against the throttle memher, which spring abuts at one end the bottom of an adjustment member, which can be unscrewed.

Due to such arrangements, a lighter is produced, which is reliable concerning its manufacture and its assembly and first of all as to its use. The maximum liquid gas storage, required for the flame formation, is disposed directly within the range of the throttle position, that means, of the gas outlet channel.

As a liquid gas storage serves a body of fiber material capable of suction, due to the fact that the liquid gas storage body is in face engagement with the throttle member formed likewise of fiber material, a continuous after-feeding ofliquid gas to the throttle member is obtained. The transmission cross-section between the throttle member and the engaging liquid gas storage body can be accommodated easily to the prevailing type of a lighter by a correspondingly large measurement. Due to the fully suctioning storage body already at aslightly inclined position of the lighter, a certain independency from the level of the gas liquid is obtained. The storage body has such a capacity that a burning duration above the normal average is available. First of all, if the storage body is disposed behind window-like recesses which are easily secured to the burning housing, the liquid gas is in direct connection with the storage body. Concerning the possibility to assemble the storage body also of individual overlying annular disks, an adjustment to the prevailing size of the burner can easily be obtained. It is not necessary, accordingly, to produce for each series a specially adapted storage body. In addition, the separation slots between the individual annular disks favor a fast feeding of the liquid gas into the total storage body. Due to the annular shape, in addition also an advantageous positionsafe holding of the annular disks is given, since the latter are mounted on a stabilizing core, which forms, simultaneously with its recess disposed concentrically to the gas outlet channel and the throttle member, the throttle position itself. During the throttling, the storage body is practically not compressed. In case of a stronger throttling, the face engagement between the throttle member and the storage body becomes more intimate in favorable manner. Due to the fact, that the marginal edge of the core recess is inclined, the regulation possibility is improved. In particular, due to the fact that a spring is provided which abuts the stabilization core against the direction of its pressure towards the throttle member, the complete adjustment range for the variable gas passage is maintained, also over longest using times, because the stabilization core is always safely returned during the control in opening direction. The corresponding engaging face for this spring can be provided without difficulties at the bottom of the adjustment member. The spring prevents thereby continuously a complete fall-out of the adjustment member from the housing. Also, appreciable advantages as to production and mounting result, namely in the direction, that the storage body including the stabilization core is insertable from one end opening into the burner housing. This can be obtained by means of a preliminary assembly. The insertion of the burner tube 4 with the complementary valve seat in addition to the valve spring etc. can take place simultaneously, and in particular from the opposite side. Prior to that, the burner housing is inserted in pre-prepared bores of the lighter body and assembled with the latter by means of a solder or glue connection.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of the liquid gas lighter, designed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section along the lines 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of a second embodiment of the liquid gas lighter designed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, the liquid gas lighter comprises a fuel container 1, an outer housing 3, enveloping the container 1 and removable from a base plate 2, and a cup member 5 connected with an operating member 4.

Cheeks 6 raised laterally from the base plate 2 carry a bearing pin 7 for a friction gear 8. A spring biased fiint 9 engages in a known manner the friction gear 8.

The cup 5, which is swingable by operation of the member 4, is also pivotally connected to the bearing pin 7. The cup 5 and the operting member 4 are coupled with each other by means of pivot pins 10.

A butt strap 11 provides on the opposite side the pivotal connection of the member 4 to the base plate 2. A spiral draw spring 12 returns the operating member 4 to its original position.

At the pivot point on the side of the base plate 2, the butt strap 11 has an operating nose 12, which engages a control bar 13 extending into its operating range. The oppositely disposed free fork end 13' of this control bar 13 is in pressure connection with a burner pin 14 of the burner housing 15 and engages an annular shoulder 14' provided on the burner pin 14.

The burner housing 15 comprises, in the embodiment ment disclosed in FIG. 1, a tubular base body, which is inserted into and secured to the fuel container 1 from the lower side of the latter. A corresponding annular flange 16 determines the exact position of the burner housing 15. Solder and/ or glue points 17 provide, simultaneously with the securing of the burner housing 15, the required sealing closure at the bore slits.

The burner housing 15 is divided into two chambers, communicating with each other, merely by the gas outlet channel 20 by means of a separating wall 19 forming the valve seat face 18. The upper of the chambers receives the tubular burner pin 14, which is extended downwardly to a sealing piston. Apressure spring 21 has the tendency to press the piston equipped with a sealing disk to this valve seat face 18. As a spring counter bearing serve annular disks widening in a favorable manner the engaging face, whereby the upper annular disk covers protectingly a sealing ring 23 held simultaneously between the screwedin annular bushing 22 and the annular disk disposed therein.

The lower chamber of the burner housing 15 receives a throttle member in form of a fiber disk 24, which throttle member engages the separating wall 19.

A liquid gas storage body 25 formed under certain circumstances of the same fiber material, extends below this throttle member 24. This storage body 25 is in face engagement with the throttle member 24. The liquid gas storage body 25 has a stabilizing core 26 extending therethrough. The end face 26' of this stabilizing core 26 re ceives the compression pressure for the throttle member 24.

Instead of a continuous pot-shaped storage body 25, the latter can, as shown, also be formed, if required, of individual annular disks 25 of fiber material which are lined up on the stabilizing core 26.

The storage body 25 is disposed directly behind window-like recesses 27 which are provided in the wall of the burner housing 15 at corresponding places. These window-like recesses are set back from the bottom face, formed by the separation wall 18, to an extent that, on the one hand, a sufiicient position-safety for the throttle member 24 is not directly set by the stabilizing core 26, and, on the other hand, a part of its periphery is, nevertheless, directly in contact with the liquid gas filling.

The end face 26' of the stabilizing core 26 is equipped with a concave recess disposed concentrically to the gas outlet channel. Its preferably inclined marginal edge has a larger diameter than that of the passage channel 20 and a channel widening extending in funnel-shape in the direction towards the recess, respectively.

The stabilizing core is extended to form a shaft 28. The latter is equipped with annular ribs 29 and 30, the upper rib 29 of which forms a supporting shoulder for the storage body 25. An adjustment member 31 operable from the outside engages the lower rib 30. The adjustment member 31 is equipped with a thread which finds its meshing thread in the end section of the burner housing 15. As adjusting means serves a cup 33 having a cross slot and entering into an opening 32 in the wall of the outer housing 3. The cup 33 is mounted on the adjustment member 31 which is equipped with conically cut faces. Coupling members 35 originating from the cup bottom and entering into a corresponding cross slot 34 of the adjustment member 31 transmit the rotary movement to the adjustment member 31.

A pressure spring 28' secured to the shaft 28 of the stabilizing core 26 has the tendency to move this stabilizing core 26 contrary to the direction of its pressure towards the throttle member 24, thus in the sense of an enlargement of the gas passage on the throttle point. The corresponding spring bearing is formed there by the bottom 31' of the removable adjustment member 31.

The maximum opening position on the throttle position is determined by an annular screw 36 surrounding at its end side the adjustment member 31, whereby the annular rib 30 engages the annular screw 36. This latter prevents in addition also in a joint effect with the counter spring bearing 37, that the adjustment member 31, screwed completely outwardly, can be completely separated from the lighter body.

The storage bodies 25 and the stabilizing core 26 are inserted from the lower end opening into the burner housing 15. With the annular screw 36 inserted therein, the determination of the throttle adjustment range takes place.

FIG. 3 shows the application of a similar liquid gas storage body 25, however, in connection with a different type of lighter.

The particular burner housing 15' is screwed from above into the fuel container. It forms at its bottom an annular engagement shoulder 38 for the support of the stabilizing core 40, equipped with a corresponding annular rib 39. The latter is half-slotted and equipped with a cross wall 40'. The thus selected embodiment permits the safe securing of a wick 41.

The use of a wick 41 in addition to the liquid gas storage body 25 can be of advantage in such lighters, which due to their structure are not brought or are hardly brought into a tipping position, as for instance, a table lighter.

A pressure spring 42 anchored at the lower end of the stabilizing core 40, holds the wick 41 in its position directed towards the tank bottom. The counter bearing displaceable by means of an adjustment member 43 is formed by a pot-shaped annular body 44. The latter has a centrally disposed gas outlet channel 45 and works by forming a valve seat face 46 with the valve piston 48 extended to a tubular burner pin 47.

At the upper end of the tubular burner pin 47 is 5 secured a hood 49. A spring 50, which surrounds the valve piston 48, is effective in opening position and supports thereby yieldingly the hood 49 including the burner pin 47 in outward position.

A pan 51 provided on the cup 5 engages the burner pin 47 in direction of closing the gas outlet channel 45.

For the operation of the adjustment members determining the passage at the throttle point serves a setting wheel 52. The latter extends through the lighter Wall outwardly and is secured to the adjustment member 43 by means of an annular screw 53 which simultaneously limits the adjustment range. The inner chamber of the gas container is sealed off/towards the outside in both embodiments by means of a sealing ring 54 and 54, respectively.

While we have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that those embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

We claim:

1. A liquid gas lighter, comprising a burner housing including a burner having a throttle member below a gas outlet channel terminating in a valve seat face,

said throttle member consisting of a fiber disc,

21 pin having an end face and said fiber disc is compressible against said end face of said pin for control of the gas feed,

a llbCI" material body leading the liquid gas to said throttle member and carried by said pin,

said fiber material body comprising individual ring discs and lined up on said pin,

said burner housing having window-like recesses, and

said ring discs being disposed behind said window-like recesses, being in engagement with said throttle member and arranged above a ring shoulder of said pin.

2. A liquid gas lighter, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the end face of said pin has a concave recess disposed concentrically in said gas outlet channel.

3. The liquid gas lighter, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pin is extended to form a shaft below sealing ribs carrying a sealing ring,

said shaft has a counter bearing,

a pressure spring,

an unscrewable adjustable member, and

said spring engages at one end the bottom of said adjustrnent member and at the other end said counter bearing of said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,804,763 9/1957 Russell et al. 2,836,044 5/1958 Zellweger. 2,971,361 2/ 1961 Breitenstein. 3,184,931 5/1965 Yoshino. 3,254,511 6/1966 Burchett et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 864,988 4/1961 Great Britain.

30 EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Prinmry Examiner. 

